Trator of said frank t



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P; T. THOMPSON, Deod. v E. N. Tnomrson, Administrator. MEGHANISM FORSEAMING'AND 001mm SHEET METAL.

Patented July 31, 1894.

INVE NIUR WIINEEEEE a2? AUURNEK- tr: mums PETERS 00., PmrmumouWASHIIGTDN, n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet-2. I

P. T. THOMPSON, Decd.

E. N. THOMPSON, Administrator. MEOHANISM FOR SEAMING AND GOILING SHEETMETAL.

No. 523,694. Patented July 81, 1894.

III

III

"fiigo TM: ut'mms PETERS co, PHOTD-LITNO" msnmo'mu, 0, c4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK T. THOMPSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EUSTACEN. THOMPSON, OF SAME PLACE; E. N. THOMPSON ADMINIS- TRATOR OF SAID FRANKT. THOMPSON, DECEASED.

. MECHANISM FOR SEAMING AND COILING SHEET METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No 523,694, dated July 31,1894.

I Application filed February 25, 1893- Serial No.463fl71- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, FRANK T. THOMPSON, of Cleveland, in the State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism forSeaming and Coiling Sheet Metal; andI do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and ex act description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and usethe same- My invention relates to improved mechanism for seaming andcoiling sheet metal, such for instance as metal roofing, the objectbeing to provide a reel operated by power for the purpose of coiling themetal, the heads of the reel being moved farther. apart by means of afoot-treadle, whereby the coil of material is discharged by gravity.Also the power of the reel is made to operate an automatic seamingdevice so that no manual labor is required or time lost in seaming.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a side elevation of mechanismembodying my invention, with portions broken away to show theconstruction of parts, that would otherwise be obscured. Fig. 2 is anelevation of the reel as seen from the right hand, portions being brokenaway to reduce the size'of the figure. Fig. 3 is an elevation of theseaming mechanism as seen from the right hand if the reel were removed,portions of this figure being broken away for reasons aforesaid. Fig. 4is a perspective view of latch L.

A represents the bed plate of the reel, this bed serving as a table onwhich to discharge the roll of finished material. The bed is mounted onlegs A, or on any suitable supporting frame. Underneath the bed islocated the driving shaft B. This shaft is provided with a drivingpulley B. On shaft B are mounted spur gears B B and these gears engagegears C O, that are mounted respectively on spindles C, 0, each spindleand its gear being provided with groove and spline so that the spindlecan slide endwise through the gear.

A A are pillow blocks adj ustably secured on top of bed A, so they maybe shiftedtoward and from each other to accommodate material ofdifferent widths, and at the top of county of Cuyahoga and thesepillow-blocks are located the'journal boxes at a for spindles C, C.

The hub of each gear C is grooved circumferentially as at c, and thesegrooves are engaged by the bent ends of irons 0, these irons beingsecured respectively to the adjacent pillow-blocks, whereby in slidingthe spindles endwise the gears maintain their positions next'thepillow-blocks.

On the inner ends of the spindles Care mounted'disks D, each disk havingan inwhrdly projecting annular flange D, on which the sheet metal iswound, each flange having aslit d for engagingthe hook ends, that is,the doubled back ends of the advance sheet. On each spindle C is mounteda collar C each of these collars having a circumferential groove 0 Thesecollars are so arranged that by on gaging the inner boxes a, they serveas stops to limit the inward movements of the spindles, so as to bringthe disks D the right distance apart to admit the sheet of metalwidthwise between them.

Grooves c are engaged by the forked ends of levers E, these levers beingfulcrumed as at e. The lower ends. of lovers E are connected by rods Ewith disk E the latter being journaled on stud 6 The pivotal connectionse, as between rods E and the disk, are located diametrically oppositeeachother. E is a rod pivoted at e to the disk, this rod E connectingwith thefoot-treadle E and by depressing this treadle and by means ofthe connecting mechanism just described, the spindles O are movedoutward and farther apart to discharge the coil of material. When thepressureis removed from the treadle, the parts reverse, that is, arereturned to their normal positions by the recoil of spring E this springbeing fastened at e to the disk, the other end of the spring beingfastened to the side frame of the machine. I

The different sheets of metal F, having previously been doubled back atthe ends, are

laid on a long table M, this table being usually constructed of wood.The hook ends of these sheets are locked together as shown in Fig. 1,and the hook end of the advance sheet having been placed by hand inslits d, the reel is set in motion to wind the strip of metal so thatthe two sheets, after the operation,

thereon. When this is accomplished, the reel 1s stopped, binding wiresare applied to the 0011, after which, by means of the treadle, thebundle of material is discharged from the machine, such a discharge ofmaterial, and returning the parts to their normal positions, ready foranother operation, requiring but a moment of time.

The joints f where the different sheets of metal interlock have to bepressed together, or seamed, as this operation is called. Heretofore theseaming mechanism was usually operated by hand, requiring one man toattend to this operation, and during the seammg of each joint, the reelhad to be stopped. In order to save one mans labor and to save tlme, Ihave devised the automatic seaming mechanism which I will next describe.

G, G, are heavy side frames, usually cast from the same pattern, and setfacing each other. These side frames are rigidly connected by means andcross bars H H,these cross bars having been cast from the same pattern.

I and J are metal frames, cast from the same pattern, each frame beingmounted on an axial shaft respectively I, J. These shafts are journaledin suitable boxes connected with theside frames, and located the oneabove the other so that the frame I and J may swing a limited distancelengthwise the table, and the upper boxes being adjustable vertically toadjust the free edges of these frames to the desired distance apart, sothat when these frames are in line extending toward each other they willengage the sheet of metal that is between them. The faces, that is, thefree edges of these swinging frames, that, for convenience, I will calltoggles, are turned off with the shaft of each as a center.

The face of the upper toggle (I) is grooved lengthwise thereof as at I,the groove being broad enough to receive a joint f of the metal sheet,and the groove being so shallow that the joint is compressed as thetoggles swing into line, and as this occurs the one side wall of groove1 oif-sets downward the upper sheet,

known as seaming, are in the same plane and consequently will lie flatupon the roof for which they are intended. As the toggles will likely besubjected to considerable pressure in seaming, and to prevent theconsequent spring of shafts I, J, crossbars H H are provided with forkedsteady pins as at h h, the prongs of these steady pins setting astridethe shafts (I, J) the pins extending with easy fits into sockets in thecross-bars, each steady pin being backed by a screw h. The toggles asthey swing forward, that is, toward the left hand, to do their work, areactuated by the strip of metal that is being wrought upon by thetoggles, and at the same time is being wound upon the reel. Each toggleis provided with a weighted arm respectively I, J and as the togglesapproximate the position shown in dotted lines at the left hand in Fig.1, the toggles one at a time are returned to the place of beginning,shown in dotted lines at the right hand in Fig. 1. To accomplish this Iprovide as follows: The broader, face bearing section of the uppertoggle, is pierced just at' the left hand side of the groove L toreceive with easy fits the pins 1' 11. The upper end of these pinsextends with an easy fit through holes Pins i are provided with crosspins 1?, the latter serving as stops to limit the depression of pins 2'so that these pins may protrude, say an eighth of an inch, more or less,below the face of the upper toggle. Between pins 71 and lugs z" aresprings i these springs acting downward on pins i,but these latter pinsmay be pressedupward against the action of their springs until the lowerends of these pins are flush with the face of the toggle.

- The lower toggle is provided in like manner with spring actuatedpinsj, constructed in the manner just described, these pinsjbeing thrustupward by the action of their springs until they protrude, say an eighthof an inch above the face of the lower toggle.

With the toggles at their normal, or right hand position, and with thestrip of metal being drawn through between the toggles, by the action ofthe reel, if the seam be on top, the seam will engage pins 2', or if theseam be underneath, the seam will engage pins j, and by such engagement,either the top or the bottom toggle would be swung forward.

To cause the two toggles to swing forward in unison, I provide the uppertoggle with a.

pin 1, projecting from the end of the toggle. The other toggle isprovided with a spring actuated latch L, movable endwise, for engagingpin 1 wherebythe toggles are caused to move forward in unison.Perspective view of this latch is shown in Fig. 4. The upper end of thelatch has a notch L adapted to tit pin 1 with a short lip, or side wallL on the right hand side of the notch, and with a longer lip,.L on theleft hand side of the notch. Latch L is off-set, inward, at 1 so as tolie-fiat on the arm of the toggle, and below this off-set or shoulder,the latch has an elongated hole Z, through which hole operates thesecuring stud 1 this stud being screwed into a threaded hole in thetoggle arm. Below this, the latch is bent outward, as at Z", and fromthence downward, the latch is substantially a round rod, as at Z, with aspring Z coiled around this rounded section, the spring actuating upwardon the latch. The lower end of section Z extends with an easy fitthrough a hole in lug Z for holding the lower end of the latch steady.

With the toggles in their right handpositions, and with the latchengaging pin I it is evident, that if either toggle be swung forward,the other toggle will move in unison therewith. As the toggles arefarthest apart at the commencement of such forward movement, and as theyapproach nearest to each other as the toggles reach the center line, andare in line with each other, it'follows, that latch L will by itsengagement with pin 1 be depressed by such forward movement, and themaximum depression of the latch will occur as the toggles come in linewith each other, and if there were nothing to interfere w1t h the latch,the latter by the action of its sprlng would, gradually rise and keepits engagement with pin If as the toggles swung forward from the centerline, in which case, the toggles would return together. But such smultaneous return of the toggles is not deslrable, because if the sheetof metal between them happened to be somewhat corrugated or otherwiseuneven, the toggles would likely pinch the sheet to such an extent as toretard, or stop such return movement. I therefore provide for the returnof the upper toggle, first, followed immediately after by the return ofthe lower toggle. To accomplish this on stud Z is pivoted a dog m of thehook variety.

The tail end of the dog is provided with a spring m for depressing thesame. The hook end of the dog is inclined on top, and with the downwardmovement of latch L, the upper sideof the shoulder Zengages and snubsback the dog, but as the center line of the toggleis reached, the doghooks over shoulder Z and from thence onward in the forward movement ofthe toggles, the dog holds the latch in its depressed position.

As a result of the latch being held down, when the toggles reach theirextreme forward movement, where the pins 2' and j become disengaged fromthe scam, the lower toggle being held, for a moment, by the engagementof dog n with notch J 4 of shaft J, the upper toggle may return rearwardto the place of beginning by reason of pin I passing above 11p L of thelatch. There isv a pin, lug, or

stop of some kind, not shown, but connected with the adjacent side frameto limit the rearward movement of the upper toggle, and just before thispoint is reached, the upper toggle engages the tail end of the dog 42,and by such engagement disengages the head of the dog from notch Jwhereupon the lower toggle returns to the place of beginning, and lip Lby 1ts engagement with pin 1 stops the lower toggle? in exact positionrelative to the upper toggle, and just as, or an instant before thisoccurs, a stationary rod 12, that is fastened to the side frame, engagesdog m above the fulcrum thereof, and snubs back this dog, and releasesthe latch, whereupon the latch, by

action of its spring is projected upward until notch L engages pin 1thus locking the toggles together ready for another operation.

Sometimes where a short sheet is at the front end of the metal strip andis being wound and seamed, if such sheet were so short .that it wouldhave been wrapped but little way around the reel, while the seam engagedstraighten out where it hooked on to the reel,

owing to the strain. caused by operating the toggles, I have thereforeprovided a foot lever 0, mounted on the overhanging end of shaft J, andby bearing down on this lever, the toggles could wholly or in part beoperated by such lever.

Sometimes the forward sheet is so short that it will not reach from thetoggles to the reel, in which case,the toggles in seaming the firstjoint, are of necessity operated by lever O.

What I claim ist 1. A reel for coiling sheet metal, such reel comprisingspindles set in line with each other, and having end play, such spindlesbeing journ'aled in head blocks the latter being adj ustable toward andfrom each other, connecting mechanism substantially as described forsimultaneously moving the spindles farther apart by means of a foot-treadle, aspring for reversing or returning the parts, substantiallyas described.

2. Aseaming device automatically actuated by the successive joints inthe sheets of metal passed between the toggles, the face of one togglehaving a groove for seaming purpose, spring-back-pins protruding fromthe faces of the toggles, a spring actuated latch for coupling thetoggles, so that the toggles ad-- Vance in unison, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth. v 1

3. In combination, opposing swinging frames or toggles, the face of onetoggle bearing a groove, the two toggles being coupled by a springlatch, a spring actuated dog for engaging and holding the latch in itsdepressed position, an abutment arranged to snub backsuch dog at or nearthe terminus of the return movement of the. toggles, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

4. In combination, opposing swinging frames or toggles adapted forseaming purposes, pinsconnected with-the toggles in po-. sition forengagingthe passing joint of the sheets of metal passing between thetoggles, a dog for holding the one toggle pending the return of theother toggle,the tail of such dog being in position to be snubbed backby the return of the first toggle, substantially as and for the purposeset fort In testimony whereof I sign this specification,i'n the presenceof two witnesses, this 14th day'of February, 1893.

FRANK 'r. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

GARDNER P. NASH, FRANK REISSINDER.

